Chapter 142
Chapter 142
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 142
As I mentioned yesterday, we're entering a Grade 4 dungeon today. Noeul Guild's raid team is the second unit, which has stronger offensive power than Cheongrang's third unit we were with yesterday, so there shouldn't be any major worries.
Do Jun-young cautioned the rookie hunters before entering the gate. Their faces were even more tense today, probably because yesterday's Grade 5 had been such a struggle.
From Grade 4 onward, tricky magical beasts often appear as bosses. Everyone, stay alert and follow closely behind the raid team.
Alright, entering the gate.
The entry order was the same as yesterday. Noeul Guild's second unit raid team went first, followed by Do Jun-young and the rookies, with Se-ra taking the rearguard alongside Eun In-jae.
The moment they stepped through the gate, a floral scent assaulted their noses. Unlike yesterday's cave, a vast flower field stretched out beneath a brilliant blue sky. Delicate red blossoms swayed gently in the fresh breeze.
The enchanting sight eased their tension, lightening the rookies' shoulders a bit.
We said dungeon environments vary every time, but a flower field, huh.
I wonder how vicious the monsters in a place like this are.
But the expressions of Noeul's experienced second unit raid team were grim.
The smell...
It's not like any normal flower scent. Fortunately, it doesn't seem poisonous.
What is this? Why does it make my stomach churn?
The B-rank hunter leading the raid pinched his nose shut. As the one with the sharpest instincts in the group, he was feeling the ominous vibe acutely.
From the rearguard, where she was watching everyone, Se-ra whispered to Eun In-jae.
As expected, raid leaders are on another level. It's not easy to notice just from the smell.
Of course. I trained him well myself. I never hand the raid leader position to just anyone. Huh? Not like Han Su-eon, though.
The werewolf dungeon incident from half a year ago was still a punchline that kept coming up.
Still, it looks a bit dangerous. These flowers give off a fishy smell instead of a fragrant one.
Eun In-jae closely examined the red flowers swaying near her knees. The split crimson petals were beautiful, but they exuded an unsettling aura. Naturally so.
They're flowers grown with blood, not water.
They had sprouted greedily from unknown blood.
No problem for our raid team, but I'm worried about the rookies. Might have to do some blood donations today.
Blood donation would be lucky. The healers are in for a rough time.
As Se-ra said, the two healers who had picked up on the ominous signs wore tense expressions. With so many people to protect today, their responsibility was immense.
Should I step in?
If it gets dangerous. Even on a hunter training run, we can't let anyone die.
Mini guardian totem summon.
Eun In-jae opened her palm, and several finger-sized stone totems appeared.
There are totems that small too?
I'm a totem maker's successor, you know. Of course, at this size, they can only remove debuffs. Totems are symbols of protection, after all.
That's impressive enough as it is.
At that moment, a gust of wind carried a swarm radiating red energy flying toward them. They were butterflies with vivid crimson wings.
Butterfly swarm! Battle stations!
Blood! This is the smell of blood! Everyone, be careful! They might suck blood!
The swordsman's shout turned the rookies' faces pale. Bloodsuckers? That scared them more than the slimes' acidic slime.
The battle began. The butterflies were nimble fliers, hard for the tanks to block entirely. Chaos erupted in seconds. The rookies gritted their teeth and took down one or two.
Butterflies, huh. Han Su-eon would be perfect for this. Would've been better if Cheongrang handled today. Kind of a shame.
It sounded like acknowledgment of Han Su-eon, but Se-ra wasn't surprised. Eun In-jae was hurling mini totems at incoming butterflies. The ones hit by the stone totems burst with a pop.
'...They're thrown like that, huh.'
Did "debuff removal" mean physically removing them?
I thought you two weren't on good terms with Guild Master Han Su-eon.
Huh? Haha, yeah, we aren't. But I'm not so far gone that I can't judge a situation.
She sometimes acted below common sense with Yoo Su-eun, which was confusing, but Eun In-jae was still a top-tier hunter leading a guild. It felt newly impressive, even if obvious.
Your gaze looks a bit off.
It's your imagination.
Se-ra fired a mana bullet at a butterfly aiming for a rookie's neck. What kind of butterfly sucked blood anyway.
'Ugh, I have bad matchup with these types.'
The rift dungeon at the hunting guild. The white ghosts there had loved blood too. Remembering that soured her mood.
Still, if it's too orderly a fight, it defeats the training purpose. This chaos is actually a good thing.
Fights with monsters never go perfectly to plan. Today's battle would be valuable experience for the rookies.
At least butterflies don't swarm like bees, so that's fortunate.
Se-ra ripped a butterfly off a rookie's body with a crunch. Infusing it with mana burned it to ash instantly.
Th-thank you.
Looking closely, it was Yoo Ji-hyuk, the hunter who had asked her a question on the first day. Se-ra silently patted his shoulder. Clear admiration shone in Yoo Ji-hyuk's eyes as he looked at her.
'It's chaotic, but we can wrap this up without major issues.'
The problem was the boss. Would the leader of these blood-blossom butterflies be weak?
Se-ra's prediction hit the mark.
The butterflies are suddenly...
The raid leader noticed first. The ones attacking for blood started swarming coherently, avoiding strong hunters and targeting weak rookies like they had gained intelligence.
High chance the boss is controlling them!
Mages! Use detection skill to find the boss!
While two mages attacked the swarm, one activated detection. The blue mana pointed upward, to the sky.
The sky!
Above their heads flew a monster larger than a person. Its vast crimson wings resembled a fairy's, but its body was humanoid, unlike regular butterflies.
It was controlling the butterflies.
The rookies' eyes widened at the simultaneous message. It was their first time seeing a magical beast, an evolved form of monsters.
Ranger, snipe!
The ranger shot an arrow skyward, but the magical beast dodged leisurely. Each wing flap thickened the blood stench piercing to the ground.
[I wondered where that delicious smell was coming from.]
The magical beast grinned down at the ground. Its gaze passed Do Jun-young and Eun In-jae, landing finally on Se-ra.
[There's one that looks like it'd give me indigestion if I ate it, but where the hell did that come from?]
Se-ra grimaced as their eyes met. Was it talking to her? Like the white ghosts, did these things think the contractor was easy prey?
The beast flinched as Se-ra raised her fist. Its agitated wing flaps intensified the fishy smell, turning her stomach.
[I thought this was a chance to grow a bigger flower field and more children, but annoying.]
The magical beast swung its arm, and half the attacking butterflies flew skyward. The rookies, now battered, collapsed panting on the ground.
[But if I just keep dodging without fighting, you lot have no answer, right? I just need to hold out until the gate opens. There's more food outside.]
Its fingertip pointed at the blue gate. It knew well that turning it green meant escape.
[The one who lasts longer wins.]
The magical beast cackled and flew off with the swarm in the opposite direction. The remaining half attacked, but Se-ra clutched her head regardless.
'No way! If we lose it here, it's overtime!'
Even if they sent out all the rookies, they had to stay and clear it! Overtime? Absurd!
'Not on my watch!'
Se-ra reached out to trap the magical beast in a cube. But at that instant.
[But to last, we need provisions too.]
Its voice came from nearbyfrom among the rookies. Everyone's eyes bulged.
The remaining half of the butterflies. From the mouths of these voiceless ones emanated the magical beast's voice. The swarm surged like wind, snatching one rookie and flying skyward.
[I'll take one with me.]
Whawhat! Hey!
It had left half to grab the legs, but no.
Do Jun-young swung her sword, Eun In-jae hurled mini totems, but only some butterflies lost wings and died. With a hostage, they couldn't launch big attacks. Of course, as S-ranks, they had ways to rescue.
Wow. Even in this mess, it snags one without fail.
But a space ability user stepped up first, so they watched.
Se-ra snapped her fingers, trapping the butterflies and the captured hunter in a massive cube. The butterflies struggled to escape, but it was futile.
Se-ra leaped into the cube. The hunter, buried in butterflies, reached out in agony.
Agh, ack! H-help... me...!
How to rescue someone buried in a butterfly swarmeven monster ones.
She couldn't teleport inside the cube yet. Peeling them off one by one would take too long.
One option left.
'What happens to the butterflies doesn't matter to me.'
Just move the worthless monsters, dead or mangled.
Se-ra focused on the butterflies' movements inside the cube. Not all, but some. Repeat a few times.
Her imperfect ability turned butterflies to dust, scattering. Dozens vanished instantly. After two, three, four repeats, all were gone.
Unlike in the labyrinth, top condition and no regard for life meant low mana cost.
'Training like this could work.'
Came for training, found her own method instead.
After killing the last one, Se-ra rushed to the fallen hunter. It was Yoo Ji-hyuk, who had questioned her before.